January is National Stalking Awareness Month. 

 Some Facts:

•             3.4 million people over the age of 18 are stalked each year in the United States

•             3 in 4 victims are stalked by someone they know

•             Only 37% of male and 41% of female stalking victims report it to the police

•             Common stalking behavior includes:  following, frequent phone calls and monitoring computer behavior

Yale Police Department’s Commitment and Training

The Yale Police Department (YPD) is committed to preventing violence of any kind through training, public awareness and appropriate response.  The YPD is pleased to take part in National Stalking Awareness month and to have the opportunity to increase awareness about the seriousness of stalking.  YPD is posting information on Yale’s public safety website, www.yale.edu/publicsafety, and will also use social media, including Facebook and Twitter, to raise awareness.

 The issue of stalking is serious, and can also be an indicator of potential violence.  As a part of YPD’s continued commitment to preventing violence, over 70 Yale police officers recently took part in a training session, “Understanding Gender and Sexual Violence in Higher Education. As a result of the two-day training, participants learned the interconnected nature of sexual assault, stalking and intimate partner violence on college campuses.  They are now better equipped to investigate and build cases and develop safety plans for victims and survivors. Yale’s police officers continue to increase their understanding about victim and officer safety, the psychology of victims and offenders, and how to improve working relationships among campus and community stakeholders.

 If you are a victim of stalking, contact the YPD at 203-432-4400.  For all emergencies, call 911.

For more information, visit the National Stalking Awareness web site at http://stalkingawarenessmonth.org/about.